Showing posts with label merchandise review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label merchandise review. Show all posts

Merchandise Review: Reel Bookish subscription box


Today I'm reviewing Reel Bookish, a brand new subscription box that pairs goodies from classic AND current films with a newly released YA book. Keep reading to see my unboxing, discover the theme for September, AND receive a code to save on your first box!


Shop: Reel Bookish
Owner: Montana of The Book Belles
Goods: book subscription box

 Shop Links:
   

 Overall rating: 4.5 stars


Disclaimer: Reel Bookish provided me with a complimentary box for review. This does not affect the content of my review.

This is the first subscription box I've reviewed, and as I worked on this post, I realize that since boxes are released differently than a regular merch shop, I'll have to tweak the format of my post a bit. Normally I rate shops based on the shop (products offered), product quality, and customer service with an overall rating based on a combination of those three. But subscription boxes... don't have some of those things. So I'll be primarily concentrating on the products that were included in the box.


Reel Bookish is a bi-monthly subscription box so after the initial July box, the next will ship in September. Like the bookish candle market, the YA subscription box market is pretty saturated right now so I think it's smart for Reel Bookish to go bi-monthly. It's definitely a good way to entice readers who want to try a box, but aren't willing to commit to a monthly plan. The price is $29.99, which is on par with other subscription boxes, and it's a pretty good deal considering the July box contained a newly released hardcover and 7 other items. You can purchase a one-time box on the Reel Bookish site or head over to subscription box headquarters at Cratejoy to start up a subscription that will renew automatically. I really appreciate this aspect because I've tried a few different subscription boxes now, and while every box offers the option to cancel, you know how life is. Sometimes you forget these things. Having the ability to start with a one-time box is smart and considerate to your curious but not-quite-ready-to-commit customers.

There's No Business Like Show Business


The theme for the July box is There's No Business Like Show Business, and I like it! This classic Hollywood slogan clearly conveys the box's message, and the message is movies! In this case, the box had three inspirations for the items included: classic Marilyn Monroe film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, the modern award-winning La La Land, and Leila Howland's newest novel Hello, Sunshine. The box came with two guide cards, one that explained the items included in the box and an art card with each title and cover/poster/still on one side and the summary of each title + one fun fact + recommendations on the other. The first card is another standard for a bookish box because it explains the items and credits the shops whose items were included, but I LOVE the second card. I just saw La La Land a couple weeks ago (that opening number tho!), but I've never seen Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and the summary and trivia intrigued me. The info card listed that each title inspired 2-3 items in the box so here's the breakdown:



La La Land
Bookish design queen Evie Seo designed an exclusive print based on the iconic "A Lovely Night" dance from La La Land. It's stunning, of course, and this print will definitely be popping up on my instagram feed in other posts.

My fave Novelly Yours also created an exclusive candle for the box: City of Stars, a dreamy candle about which I am torn. Do I burn this amazing beachy candle and enjoy it or do I keep it forever because IT HAS WAX DRIPPED ALL OVER THE TOP TO SIMULATE STARS? So you see my dilemma. Brittany told me some of the drips are random (mine), but some have constellations dripped into them (!!!!!) like the Little Dipper (!!!!!) and Cassiopeia (!!!!!). Brittany, you tricksy mix, you've done it again & created a masterpiece. The scent is similar to her Scorpio Sea and World-Building candles, but it's actually wholly unique from any other candle I own (which you all know is a LOT).

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Okay. Some of the words you have read a couple times in this post already are "similar to other bookish boxes" because honestly, so many boxes are very similar. There are a few with a focus on fantasy/sci-fi. There are a few bi-monthly or quarterly. Everyone does candles. Everyone does prints. Everyone has done socks or tea or bookmarks or magnetic bookmarks. Many have done mugs and jewelry and pillowcases and totes. Reel Bookish stands out to me because of the theme, but this next item has me with a major case of heart eyes: THERE IS AN ACTUAL TIARA IN THIS BOX. That's right. T I A R A. To see my reaction, please watch this 50 second video:


I've never seen a box with a TIARA before, but I was super stoked to get it! I have actually been looking for a nice tiara, and I've finally found one!

side note: I might get to meet Mayim Bialik in October & I'm so excited!

There's also gorgeous shimmery pearl gumballs in an adorable little bottle for a movie snack. The gumballs taste like Double Bubble (so I have a HUGE craving for it right now) and the flavor lasts about 20 seconds, but they're beautiful, and if you're into bookish photography, these would look amazing in any sort of ocean themed as bubbles. I'm going to give creative points on this one because I also haven't seen gum in a box yet, and they really are super pretty.

Hello Sunshine
I adore Leila Howland's Nantucket duology (Nantucket Blue, Nantucket Red) so I'm pretty excited to have her third YA novel in my hands! Leila's books embrace and embody the very essence of summer, and while they're fun, fluffy reads, they also contain a great deal of emotion and fantastic character development that most people don't associate with a typical beach read. The bookstagrammer in me is also VERY happy to have another yellow naked hardcover in my collection.

Finishing out the box are a cute LA postcard, surfboard magnet, and starfish shell, all of which I adore. They fit the theme perfectly, and they're adorable!


Conclusion + coupon code!
I'm really happy with this box, and I'm definitely considering snagging a subscription, especially because the September box is a choose-your-own. The TWO themes are A Shimmer of Magic (!!!) and The Life and Times of Diana Prince (!!!). MAGIC and WONDER WOMAN, Y'ALL. If Reel Bookish sounds like a box for you, I definitely recommend you give it a shot. Also, you can use code MARY from now until August 7 for 25% off!
Posted by at 12:00 AM 3 comments
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Merchandise Review: Flickering Tales candles


We are back for another merchandise review, and today, I'm sharing another favorite: Flickering Tales! Disclaimer: I have been repping for this shop since May which means I have received some items in exchange for promotion, but I was also a customer of the shop for months before I was chosen to be a rep. I am genuinely a fan of Rachael's products, and this is an honest review of my experience both as a customer and a rep.

Owner: Rachael of Redrchl.reads
Goods: bookish candles

Shop Links:
Shop Links:
 
Overall rating: 5 stars
Shop rating: 5 stars
Product rating: 5 stars
Customer service rating: 5 stars



Shop rating

Flickering Tales is a newer candle shop, open since March, but I've been a fan since before day one. Jess of Stuck in Books & jessbooklover RAVED about these candles so I put in a preorder and picked up just about every candle in the shop at the time (which was 10). Flickering Tales has expanded since then, and I like that there's a really good variety of scents and sizes plus prices are really reasonable. Each regularly listed candle is available in a 4 oz or 8 oz (included in the same listing so you're not searching for a different size. I LOVE when shops list products this way), but if you're into 2 oz samplers like me, there's a pick four option that includes most of the candles (exception: candles available in specific sets). As Flickering Tales is exclusively available on Etsy, there isn't a rewards program, BUT Rachael runs sales all the time, usually around holidays and has rep codes to boot (code KNOXDIVER10 is good until the end of July!).

One of the best things about Flickering Tales is that Rachael believes in variety! Yes, there are  the requisite ACOTAR candles (you can buy the four seasonal courts as a set!) and one lone HP option, but there's also Daughter of the Pirate King (also available individually or as a set!), a limited edition Game of Thrones set, Mr. Darcy, and a whole heap of brand new scents for several different fandoms! Sadly, there are three scents that have been discontinued and are available only until stock runs out so if you're a fan of Belle, the Queen of Hearts, or Pemberley (this is one of my FAVES!!), you need to grab these now!


Also available is a monthly mystery candle. So far, Rachael's done Nikolai for our favorite Bardugo-born pirate prince, Parisian Kisses in honor of Anna & the French Kiss, Dragna for a certain Caravalian villan, and July's mystery candle is "a mouthwatering mix [that] is the perfect blend for burning alongside your summer reads." Finally, Rachael also has created a collection of genre candles, which I LOVE. They're available individually, as part of a Lover set (classic, contemporary, new adult, romance), Fighter set (adventure, fantasy, sci-fi, suspense), or Lover & Fighter bundle for all eight that comes with a bonus Fairy Tale candle! I love how unique these are and they're very versatile for bookstagrammers because you can use these in pictures with so many different books, not just a specific book or series.

I'm on the rep team so one thing we do in our group chat (other than be silly and ridiculous and generally fangirlish) is workshop candle ideas! Rachael is really receptive to suggestions, which is fantastic because she makes me feel like I'm part of a team, not just a bought and paid-for advertiser. But she is the one who's making the candles, and no matter what our group suggests, Rachael's the one who works to make those ideas come to life and then she always goes the extra mile on top of that.

Product rating

I *love* my Flickering Tales candles! Points to the shop because there are labels on the lids for the shop and labels on the side with each candle's name and scent combination, which I like because I always want to know the individual scents (I never would have known I loved amber scents if it weren't for Flickering Tales candles!). The labels are minimalist but tailored to each candle (November Cakes is Orange, Rhysand is navy, Breakfast at the Burrow is a chocolate brown, I am Groot is dark green, etc) so they look beautiful in pictures.

Also, these candles have really great throw, lit AND unlit. Every time I get a package from Rachael, I can smell the candles before I even open the box! I LOVE a candle with a strong throw. Most of the candles are undyed white wax, with the exception of the mystery candles, which come in beautiful glass jars with custom special labels. My special Unicorn Farts candle is made out of this amazing glitter wax so the candle shimmers while it's lit.


Customer service rating

As a customer from before the shop launched, I can objectively say Rachael's customer service is top-notch! After I put in one preorder, I decided to add a second, and Rachael double checked to make sure the shipping didn't also double in price AND ALSO sent me samples for candles I didn't order. She's incredibly responsive to messages on Etsy and answers in a timely and professional manner. I think sometimes people get caught up in the fan part of these bookish businesses and forget that they are, in fact, a business. Rachel is fun and kind and funny and fangirly so she's not all business, but she's super professional when it comes to orders.

Speaking of orders, they always ship out super quickly. The only time you'll be waiting on your candles is if you order your mystery candle early in the month because they always ship out about 3 weeks into the month. Once shipped, your order should arrive quickly, and it's always packaged up so your candles are safe. That is not an overrated detail since mail people usually get rough with your stuff.

Recommendations

Here are my favorite candles from Flickering Tales!

Rhysand: Okay, this smells like cologne and sexy man. One of my fellow reps gave SJM this candle while she was touring for ACOWAR, and Sarah said it smelled just like she imagined Rhys would. *swoon* If you want to shove this candle into a body pillow with Rhys's face drawn on it, I'm not going to judge. *shoves Rhys doll out of sight*

Pemberley: Disclaimer: This candle does not come with your own Pemberley. Or Mr. Darcy. You should know that in advance. But it DOES smell like your own English manor with sweeping gardens. If you close your eyes, though, I'd swear you'd be able to hear Darcy striding across the fields and Georgiana Darcy playing piano.


Unicorn Farts: This candle is not currently available, but it smells like strawberries and champagne and magic. I seriously like to just shove my nose in this bad boy and sniff. (see below)

Fairy Tale: This smells like fruit and fairies and magic and wonder.

Suspense: Okay, I'm not a huge fan of the suspense genre, but this candle is AWESOME. It smells like fog and mystery, as if the game, dear Watson.... IS AFOOT!


In conclusion...

I love this shop a whole lot and definitely recommend you check it out if you're into bookish candles. At least until July 31st, you can use KNOXDIVER10 to save while you're shopping. :)
Posted by at 12:00 AM 8 comments
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Merchandise Review: Wick and Fable candles


As you guys may know, I am somewhat of a candle connoisseur; that is, I have a massive bookish candle collection (like, it would be embarrassing for me to post how big it is). All my friends ask me for bookish candle recommendations, and just like when I was always asked for book recommendations, I decided to start doing merchandise reviews for bookworms. You can check out my review of Novelly Yours here, and today, I'm going to talk about Wick and Fable, another bookish candle shop that has a few more goodies in its inventory as well!


Owner: Jess
Goods: bookish candles, tea blends, spa items

Shop Links:
    


Overall rating: 4.5 stars
Shop rating: 4 stars
Product rating: 5 stars
Customer service rating: 4 stars


Disclaimer: I have only purchased candles from Wick and Fable. I am not a rep, I have not been gifted any of their candles, and this post is NOT sponsored.

Shop rating

Wick and Fable offers a variety of bookish candles, literary teas, and will soon release a line of bath & beauty products. I believe each of the candles are offered as a wax tart, 4 oz candle, or 8 oz candle. One thing I REALLY like is that each of these size items is offered in the same listing so if you change your mind and want a larger or smaller size, you don't have to search for a separate listing. I also love the bundles available. My first two W&F candles were courtesy of this bogo 8 oz/2 oz bundle, and I've also taken advantage of their pick 4 sampler, or there's this pick 2 sampler. Additionally, Wick and Fable offers a monthly fandom box with a handful of candles plus some great swag. And, like many stores that run on shopify, Wick and Fable has a rewards program where you can earn points for purchasing items, leaving reviews, recommending the shop to friends, following on social media, etc.

Wick and Fable has a pretty large inventory of items, but the list of fandoms represented is fairly small and rather typical of a candle shop. That is to say, there's TOG/ACOTAR, Six of Crows, HP/Fantastic Beasts, Wintersong, Caraval, Outlander, Sherlock, Gilmore Girls, Strange the Dreamer, Flame in the Mist, etc. However, the amount of candles for most of the fandoms is pretty extensive so if those fandoms are yours (particularly SJM), you'll probably still be pretty happy with the offerings. I do like that there's an option to shop by fandom OR by scent so if you're searching for something in particular, it's fairly easy to find.
Product rating

So, the first time I ever ordered from Wick and Fable, I got my candles, and I was... underwhelmed. When I smelled the two candles I got (Starfall and Giggle Water), I was not very impressed with the scents at ALL. However, with both, I fell in love after burning. I don't like to rate my candles against each other for the most part, but Starfall is now probably one of my favorites from any shop. That's why it's really important for me to actually USE my candles rather than just take pictures with them as props. 

Now, I quite like the scents that Wick and Fable uses. They're perhaps a little perfumier than most people are accustomed to, but it works for me. Plus, the candles burn well and have an absolute MARVELOUS throw. These will definitely fill up a room, even with a fan going. Also, they solidify nicely so there aren't bubbles that make the surface uneven after you burn them. They still look pretty.

Also, Wick and Fable's labels are GORGEOUS, which is a definite plus, but something that frustrates me is that they either have the scents OR a quote from the book/character. I would prefer scents over the quote, but if they could find a way to do both, I'd be thrilled. I just like to know exactly what I'm smelling without having to pull up the website to check.

ACOMAF fans are all about chapter 55 (and sometimes 49), but my favorite scene is Starfall. It's sweet and a little bit silly, and it's an emotionally pivotal moment for Feyre & Rhys. What's your favorite scene in ACOMAF? 🌠 This Starfall candle from @wickandfable is delicious! It smells sweet, like flowers and wine and burgeoning love, and I adore it! It's perfect paired with my favorite print from @taratjah, whose ACOMAF fanart is my favoirte! 🌠 Check out the link in my profile! I just reviewed Amy Tintera's Avenged, and I'm giving away a signed arc this week! 🌠 #acomaf #starfall #instabook #bookstagram #wickandfable #yalit #booksandflowers #bookshimmy #igreads #booklover #bibliophile #ireadya #booknerd #bookporn #signedbook #bookandcandle #Bloomsbury #SarahJMaas #acourtofmistandfury
A post shared by Mary Had a Little Book Blog (@knoxdiver) on


Customer service rating

One thing that is frustrating about Wick and Fable is that the shipping is a little slower than I'd like. Expect to wait a couple weeks before your candles come; if you preorder a box, it will probably ship toward the end of the month so that will be a while longer. However, I know Jess is now using a different system (I think she's going by inventory instead of made-to-order...?), and shipping is now a bit quicker.

I've had a couple interactions with Jess, both via Etsy conversation and the contact form on the new site, and she was very responsive. I also appreciate that she occasionally sends out site updates through her newsletter. I think a lot of shops rely on Instagram stories for updates, which is frustrating because what if customers aren't on instagram? What if you miss it? What if you don't have a connection? That's lazy and limiting. I'm not saying Jess never uses stories, but I do like that she actually uses the newsletter function. 

Recommendations
And here are my favorite Wick and Fable candles. If you like candles, these are the ones I most highly recommend.

Starfall | Rhysand | Inej | Night Court | Ever After (This candle has actually been discontinued, but Nina or Giggle Water are fairly comparable alternatives with similar strawberry and champagne scents)



Posted by at 12:00 AM 9 comments
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Merchandise Review: Novelly Yours Candles



I want to kick off a new-to-me feature here on Mary Had a Little Book Blog: merchandise reviews! Bookish merchandise has really exploded in the YA community thanks to cool publisher bonus swag, bookstagram, and subscription boxes for every imaginable genre and fandom. I'm going to take some of the shops and boxes that I've tried out and give you guys a look at my experience with the shops and their merch. First up is the shop that got me into candles: Novelly Yours!


Owner: Brittany @ Book Addicts Guide
Goods: bookish candles

Shop Links:
    


Overall rating: 5 stars
Shop rating: 5 stars
Product rating: 5 stars
Customer Service rating: 5 stars







At this point, everyone should know Brittany's shop Novelly Yours. Brittany got in this candle game way back in Fall 2015 and has been killing the candle game ever since. Disclaimer: I have only ever purchased candles from Novelly Yours or won them in giveaways so this is just me gushing about them as an extremely satisfied customer.

Shop rating

Novelly Yours offers a WIDE variety of size options from wax tarts to 2 oz, 4 oz, and 8 oz tins to 12 oz jars so there are plenty of options for the casual candle lover and the candle aficionado alike. You can buy in themed sets or do a mix-and-match to find what you like! The shop has two different candle-of-the-month options (8 oz or 12 oz layered candle and it looks like she's also starting up a possible monthly themed set!), and you can sign up for a subscription for those candles via the shop's Etsy page (which is the ONLY thing I recommend buying on the Etsy shop. Use the website for everything else so you can earn reward points!)

Fandom wise, I think Novelly Yours does a great job with item variety. There are plenty of candle shop staples like Harry Potter, Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, Maggie Stiefvater, and Marissa Meyer items, but there are also a TON of other great unique options like Outlander, The Winner's Kiss, The Princess Bride, Illuminae, etc! But wait! There's more! There's also a fun Disney princess collection and several unique sets of generally bookish candles ON TOP of 2-3 seasonal or limited edition candles offered on a limited basis for a few months. Oh, AND Novelly Yours offers custom candles for individuals or for bulk orders. Just contact the shop for info.

Novelly Yours is constantly creating fantastic new products. Just in May, there have been the two candle-of-the-month additions, an amazing "pirates and rogues" set, Strange the Dreamer, another ACOWAR candle, a Bellas candle (from Pitch Perfect!!!!!), and a couple others. Like, that is a LOT of new stock!

Product rating

Whatever fragrances Novelly Yours uses in the candles, I really like them. I haven't disliked a single candle yet. Although some scents like coffee or pine tend to not be my favorite, I still order candles that include them because each candle is blended with several scents that make each one unique and alluring. I do know some of the candles don't have a strong throw so if you are worried about scent strength, I highly recommend checking out the shop FAQ or using the contact form to find which candle will be the best fit for you!

Which brings me to the last section I'll be grading shops on: 
Customer service

Novelly Yours gets ALL THE STARS.

I've once contacted Novelly Yours to help me with an order that I bumbled, and Brittany responded immediately and was able to help. One time she accidentally mailed one of my packages to my previous address, and she totally got that fixed asap. But it's the other things. Brittany responds to tweets, Twitter DMs, Instagram comments, and Instagram DMs (I'm assuming she does on Facebook as well). She's incredibly involved with and responsive to her customers. She takes questions and requests via the contact form and maintains a shop blog where she not only makes announcements but also answers all your burning candle questions (heh. Pun intented). I love that if the demand for a limited edition candle is there, she makes it a permanent addition to the shop. Even when she retires candles to make room for new ones, she's always bringing back the old for fans to buy their faves. Brittany is a shop owner who knows and understands her customers and does her best to make sure they're happy AND that her shop is successful.


Recommendations
There is literally nothing Novelly Yours could do to make me like them more so they're getting a gold stamp of approval from me. For kicks and giggles, here are some of my favorite Novelly Yours candles that I think you should try:

Beast's Library - smells like a library with a roaring fire full of rich old leather first editions (I loved Antique Books first, but it has been retired & Beast's Library smells extremely similar)
Cabeswater - smells like a meadow full of flowers with the sun just burning off the early morning mist
Matthias - bear with me, but this one smells somewhat like toothpaste? It's minty and clean like that just-brushed feeling that gives you chills
Mermaid's Grotto - smells like a cool beach in the late fall with salty sea air, white-capped waves and driftwood
Romance trope - smells like love is in the air!


Posted by at 12:00 PM 7 comments
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